Tapping
by Bakarina
Summary: Auler taps his fingers whenever he's nervous, stressed, or worried. And with Rein announcing that she'll be leaving the planet to become her uncle's heir in another planet, he hasn't been able to stop. Even if he doesn't think Rein's noticed his feelings for her a confession is either now or never, but what if she beats him to the punch? [Auler/Rein Oneshot for Anonymous]


A/N: A Solar Wind Shipping oneshot for dear Anonnie on tumblr~! Thank you so much for your request~! I hope everyone enjoys~!

Remember: if you want a requet done too message me here, send a request to the tumblr bakarina-writes, or leave a review on the story "The Milky Way Cafe"!

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Auler rhythmically drummed his fingers on his wine glass.

Today, the Sunny Kingdom was holding a ball with the twins being the main attraction. Their appearance (or rather Rein's as Fine had been here form the start) of which Auler was nervously waiting for.

Fine who had officially been crowned as the Sunny Kingdom's new queen would be holding this as her first official ball as a queen, not a princess.

Meanwhile this would not only be Rein's final night as a Sunny Princess, but also a public announcement that she is giving up all claim to the Sunny Throne and leaving the planet for favor of a much grander prize...Throne to the Temictli Empire.

Rein had told him and Mirlo months prior to the ball that her uncle Rumor had bowed his head to her and asked her to return to his home planet of Illusia with him. He intended to name her his heiresses and she would formally begin her training as the Temictlian Empress there.

As Rein told them all this he had begun to rhythmically drum his fingers on the table.

"And...did you accept?" Auler whispered, almost inaudibly. Part of him wished she _**didn't**_ hear him because he dreaded the answer.

"I...I did." Rein nodded. His fingers stopped momentarily only to return to their drumming at a much faster pace.

"C-Congratulations Rein!" Mirlo said.

"Yes...congratulations." Auler smiled.

_Prrthump, prrthump..._

Rein looked down at Auler's right hand, whose fingers were currently drumming on the table, and took hold of it.

Auler's breath hitched as Rein gently held it in both her hands. "Stop that, you're gonna hurt your fingers. No need to be so worried. No matter where we are in the universe you'll always be one of my very best friends. You too, Mirlo!"

Rein took away one of her hands from Auler's to grasp Mirlo's hand.

_'That's not...what's making me so worried.'_

Auler's drumming on his wine glass sped up as he recalled.

It was a shame that for someone who is such a romantic like Rein...also happened to be one of the densest people Auler ever met.

He already knew how clear his affections towards Rein were to Mirlo, his own sister, hell even his parents knew, but Rein herself seemed oblivious to it.

Now that Rein would be announced as the next Temictlian Empress...no doubt her suitors would quadruple and not for a "romantic" reason as he assumes Rein would probably want.

_Prrthump, prrthump, prrthump, prrthump..._

He already had competition to worry about before all of this and not only that...Auler had always assumed even had she chosen Shade or Bright, or anyone else over him...he'd be happy so long as he was able to see her often.

But now that's gonna be impossible too what with her moving to an entirely different planet.

_'At least...I wanna say how I feel. Even if she just wants to be friends in the end I...'_

The trumpets resounded in the ballroom, announcing the arrival of Princess Rein. She gracefully made her way to her twin sister and the two shared a smile.

Fine cleared her throat as a gong rang, signaling the guests to quiet themselves and turn their attention to Fine.

_Prrthump, prrthump, prrthump, prrthump..._

"Dear guests! Tonight you honor me with your presence in my first ball as acting queen. And tonight, I also have the great joy of announcing my sister's new position. Tonight, she is Princess Rein of the Sunny Kingdom...but come tomorrow, she is Crown Princess Rein of the Temictli Empire!"

Cheers resounded through the ballroom as Fine grasped her sisters hands and congratulated her.

Meanwhile Auler could already see the hunger for power in many of the men's eyes in the ballroom.

_Prrthump, prrthump, prrthump, prrthump..._

One the festivities began in full swing again, many gentlemen were practically clawing their way into Rein's presence, introducing themselves and flirting. It made Auler positively sick..!

He tried to waddle his way through the crowds, but no one let him get through. It was when he was almost shoved to the ground when Mirlo and Sophie came to him.

"Rein wants to talk with you." Mirlo said.

"And how am I supposed to get to her?" Auler asked.

"Don't worry~! The queen has a plan." Sophie giggled. "Just come with us and you'll see Rein soon."

Sophie practically dragged Auler away from the ballroom and to a guest room. She and Mirlo pushed him in and then closed the door behind him.

_Prrthump, prrthump, prrthump, prrthump..._

The wine glass was still in hand somehow, he's surprised he didn't drop it in all that. Actually, he's surprised he didn't just let it slip from his hands at any point during the announcement.

"I need some fresh air..." He decided as he finally put the glass down and headed to the guest room's balcony.

The queen has a plan, he was told. But what is it? Is Rein still out there being hounded by all those power-crazed bastards out there?

_Prrthump, prrthump, prrthump, prrthump..._

Is she on her way here?

_Prrthump, prrthump, prrthump, prrthump..._

Or maybe Sophie and Mirlo were just trying to keep him from seeing what he didn't want to see...as a kindness. Maybe Rein wasn't going to come at all.

_Prrthump, prrthump, prrthump, prrthump..._

"I don't know how many times I'm gonna have to say stop for you to get it!" Auler jumped as Rein, seemingly out of nowhere, grabbed his hand in hers, just like last time. This time, she rubbed her thumb over his hand.

"When did you get here?" Auler asked, feeling flushed.

"For a while now, you didn't even hear me when I called your name! Too busy ruining your fingers."

"I...Sorry."

"Apologize to your poor fingers, not me. Like this...I'm sorry." Rein brought Auler's hand to her lips and kissed it.

"R-Rein!?"

"You know...I love you. But I didn't think the feeling was mutual. I noticed you sneaking glances at me, the way you sometimes held my gaze far logner than others tended to, but I just thought I simply must have been imagining things.

After all, I have quite a big imagination and sometimes see things that aren't really there..."

"So...what changed then?" Auler asked. "Why...why now?" _Why when you're about to leave and never return...?_

"Haha! Believe it or not Mirlo came and yelled at me. I was so shocked that it was her of all people that came to reprimand me about being so dense and cruel to just ignore your feelings like that. I don't think I've ever heard her be so angry before and I've known her for years.

...I'm sorry. I didn't even consider about how you must've felt when I just blatantly ignored all your advances like that. All I was worried about was how this all was too good to be true and how I had to ignore it just so I wouldn't be embarrassed if I interpreted everything wrong."

Auler shook his head. "It's okay...really."

"I don't think it is." Rein said, "So let's make up for lost time."

"Huh?"

Placing another kiss on his hand Rein looked into his eyes and grinned, "Won't you do me the honor of marrying me and coming to the Empire as my most beloved?"


End file.
